More than an old car #14: MG Midget

Seeing old cars on our streets is rare, even more so cars that would clearly fail vehicle inspections. This 1962 MG Midget Mk1 here is incongruous with the spanking new cars beside it-- you may dismiss it as a mere piece of junk, but it has certainly seen much over the years.

The MG Car Company Limited first started out as Morris Garages, founded by W.R.Morris in 1920. It is not known when MG was formed exactly, but its octagonal logo was patented in 1924 and this has been the basis for its various anniversaries. MG underwent a series of mergers and acquisitions, from British Motor Corporation in 1952 to being acquired by China-based SAIC in 2007, where it is now known as MG Motor.

The MG Midget was first announced in 1961 as an alternative to the then-popular Austin-Healy Sprite. Production ceased in 1980 with 4 different generations produced. The Mk1 was powered by a BMC A-Series 4-cylinder engine, allowing it to reach a maximum top speed of 138 km/h with an acceleration of 18.3 seconds [0-97km/h]. It weighed 735 kg and was 3.46 m long. Strangely, it had no external door handles or locks.

Only about 25,600 were made but I am aware that there are quite a few of them here. What struck me most about this specimen here is how neglected it looks--peeling paint and the slanted number plate. The yellow has already faded, so it must have been exposed to the elements for quite some time. However, at least the last user had the mind to cover the car cabin. It hurts my heart to see it in such a pathetic state and I really hope it can be restored to its former glory.